Learning Flashcards
What does ‘learning’ mean? Why do we learn?
Some experience that results in a relatively permanent change in the state of the learner. We learn because when an experience gives beneficial information, it is expected to cause a change in behaviour
What is non-associative learning, and the mere-exposure effect?
Non-associative learning is the result of exposure to a stimulus. The mere-exposure effect suggests that repeated and unreinforced exposure to a stimulus will enhance attitudes towards it
What is associative learning?
Associative learning applies to classical conditioning where an event in the environment leads to a consequence to an individual
Describe Pavlov’s dogs experiment.
In stage 1 food (US) caused the dog to salivate (UR), a tone was played (neutral). In stage 2 the tone was paired with the food, and the food caused salivation. In stage 3 this was repeated many times until the tone (CS) caused salivation (CR).
Define classical conditioning.
a stimulus causes a response due to being paired with a stimulus that naturally causes a response
What is ‘second-order conditioning’?
a neutral stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus to produce the same conditioned response
Give an example of extinction, referring to Pavlov’s dogs.
Playing the dogs the tone repeatedly without presenting the food would cause the dogs to stop salivating when they heard it
Describe Thorndike’s puzzle box.
Hungry cats were put in a puzzle box with food left outside. To get out, the had to pull a lever. Through trial and error, there was gradual improvement in their behaviour of getting out of the box. Over time the cats fully associated the lever with opening the box.
What is the law of effect?
when a response is followed by a satisfying outcome, the response will increase in frequency
Define positive and negative reinforcement.
positive reinforcement - when a stimulus is added
negative reinforcement - when a stimulus is taken away
What is the difference between primary and secondary reinforcers?
primary reinforcers are innate and don’t need to be learnt, secondary reinforcers are learned through experience and are paired with primary reinforcers
What is the Premark Principle? Give an example.
the Premack Principle states that more preferred behaviours will reinforce less preferred behaviours. for example, a child must do all their homework before they can watch TV.
Describe the overjustification effect using an example.
the overjustification effect is when external rewards undermine the internal satisfaction of performing a behaviour. for example, children who were told to draw a picture initially engaged in the behaviour because it was fun, when a reward was introduced, their motivation changed. They were no longer drawing a picture because it was fun, they were drawing to get a reward.
What is a ratio schedule and an interval schedule?
ratio - reinforcement based on how many responses have been made
interval - reinforcements based on how much time has passed since the last reinforcement
Explain the cognitive view of classical conditioning.
classical conditioning may not just be an unthinking process, for example, Pavlov’s dogs would also turn their heads to where they thought the food would be.
